


Best Foot Forwards

by yubiwamonogatari



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hobbit feet, Humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6650152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yubiwamonogatari/pseuds/yubiwamonogatari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Thorin accidentally breaches a code of conduct. For hobbits, at least.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Foot Forwards

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired from a stream I did of the Lego Hobbit game, where we realised Thorin was holding Bilbo's foot during the buddy-up bits! It was too cute to pass up!

 

 

“Shh!” hissed Bilbo, his heart pounding in his chest. “Higher. A little higher, if you can! There! Shh!”

“I'm not the one talking, master Baggins,” whispered Thorin in return.

Bilbo scowled down at him, but at the sound of snapping twigs he froze, body tensing up. Thorin's grip on his legs tightened. It had been Thorin's idea, when they'd come across the long line of stone too tall for either of them to see over or climb, for Bilbo to clamber onto his shoulders and peer down into the valley between the hills.

They were somewhere between the Misty Mountains and the Old Ford, the dark forests of Mirkwood still far in the distance, and Erebor further still. Added to the stress of their non-existent supplies, several healing injuries amid the Company, and the march of time ever onwards towards Durin's day, they also had to contend with the fact they were still being hunted.

Only last night their sleep had been disturbed by the distant – but still audible – howls of Azog's wargs. The Company had been moving again long before morning light.

As dusk had started to fall, Bilbo had been sent to silently scout ahead for a safe space to sleep. Surrounded by high walls of naturally occurring stone, Thorin had accompanied him to inspect any possible caves. All they'd discovered was rock, rock, and more rock.

“I can't see anything unpleasant,” Bilbo whispered. “Just a few stags down there.” He frowned, shifting and wriggling so he could put one foot on Thorin's shoulder, pushing himself up a little higher. Thorin swayed underneath him.

A pang of guilt rushed through Bilbo. The dwarf was still healing, after all, and though he didn't weigh as much as he had at the beginning of this adventure, Bilbo was still probably rather heavy.

The last thing he was expecting, however, was for Thorin to grab at his foot to help him keep his balance.

Bilbo clasped at the stone outcropping, staring sightlessly down into the dark of the little valley. Thorin's fingers were warm and strong over his foot, and he could feel the dwarf's thumb against his instep, his fingers wrapped over the thick, and at the moment dreadfully unkempt, hair on the top of his foot.

His cheeks burned in the dark.

Thorin didn't know. He couldn't know.

Bilbo cleared his throat and tried not to flex his toes, his heart leaping suddenly in his chest.

“Is the valley empty? Is there a way into it, and out?”

“Um. Oh, there's... Yes, no, it's quite empty, I think. But I can't, ah, see any way in. Or out, for that matter. Right,” he said, looking down suddenly.

Thorin was frowning up at him, his dwindling patience clear on his face.

“My foot,” Bilbo said, plaintively.

Thorin looked at it, and then back up at him, an eyebrow raised in question.

“You're, ah. Holding it.”

“Would you rather fall?” Thorin asked, a frown touching at his features.

Bilbo felt his cheeks heat a little more, his stomach giving an odd twist.

“No, no. Not at all, it's just... Well, it's rather, ah. Forwards. Yes, forwards. To, um, hold someone's foot, it's... I suppose it's rather like if I were to stick my hand in your beard – well,” he amended, instantly, “perhaps not your beard, it's a little short, but you get my meaning, I hope,” he finished, a little pathetically in his opinion.

Thorin slowly let go of Bilbo's foot.

“My apologies,” said Thorin, voice a little gruffer. “I meant no insult, nor inappropriate behaviour.”

“Oh, no! No. Not at all. You weren't to know - quite a silly custom, really, when you think about it. Anyway, I'll just hop down now, seeing as there's no way to get into that valley, so we might as well camp in the little cave we found earlier, don't you think?” he babbled, biting back a yelp as Thorin dropped down to one knee and he lurched, almost losing his balance.

He scrambled off the dwarf's shoulders, relieved to have both feet back on the cool grass. The lingering heat of Thorin's fingers against his foot made his chest tighten a little as he cheerily brushed himself down and clasped his hands behind him, rocking up onto his toes.

“Right! Well! Back we go,” he said, nodding his head before turning and hurrying towards the camp, Thorin silently following him.

Damn and blast these dwarves! He was going to be thinking about a warm, calloused thumb against his sole for a long, long time.

**Author's Note:**

> [Come find me on Tumblr!](http://www.yubiwamonogatari.tumblr.com)


End file.
